fab 5 sign : DIY

One of the elements I really love about this space, is the way this room ties in subtle hints of stain with paint, together. The hint of the dark, natural look, contrasting with brighter whites and pops of color kinda float my boat. This artwork was a fun, simple way to bring that same idea to the walls, and serve (bonus round) as a real, personalized piece. No matter what you choose your phrase to be, this project was totally doable. For the cost of wood, stain, and paint…you just can’t beat it.

First things first: this sign was a combination of wood {9 planks, to be precise} of various widths stacked together to provide a great backdrop for this project. You could do whatever size you want. Don’t have a saw? No problem. As usual, the kind people at your local home improvement store can cut these things to size for you. Because I knew I wanted something grandiose on that wall, ours added up to a whopping 47 x 36.

Lining them up straight, if you saw this post, we simply joined them up in the same way with supportive beams in the back. I then went to work staining the pieces of wood, letting a bit of stain fall in between each crack to keep it dark in between. My favorite stain color is Minwax in Early American. Using a foam brush, I covered each piece. Be forewarned: this stain takes at least a good day to dry, so be prepared to cover your wood with a good coat or two, then move on to something else until its ready to be taken to the next step. Otherwise, you’ll literally be watching paint {stain} dry.

I used my handy dandy projector for this, but brought out the simple phrase ‘Mills Fab 5’ on a transparency in the best of fonts: Helvetica. {yes, I am a font snob.} I simply adjusted the 5, after the rest of the letters were traced, by moving it back to enlarge it to a greater size, for composition’s sake.

Let me just say this: If you don’t have a projector…and I know I’m always preaching on its fabulousness, please know this is totally doable with a printer. {and if you need them super large, your local copy shop.} With fonts, for a clean, simple look, I always make sure I “cheat.” It’s just always best to go with a guide when acuracy is called for. Saves lots of time…

You could simply print out your letters needed, to size. Cut each letter, and transfer it to the wood by tracing it. It would be a small extra step, but something that can also be fun for you if you like the challenge. Please know this project required some seemingly tedious steps, But I’m a nerd like that. Sometimes I like the tedious, as a challenge. I guess its the graphic designer within me coming out to play.

Once the letters were traced, I took my exacto, and painter’s tape. Carefully, over each line on the inside of each letter, I established a guide by placing the tape to protect the line of each letter. Sometimes, it was easier to cut the tape after I laid it, along the line. Just do it as you go.

From there, I painted, from the painter’s tape, OUT. I’ll admit, painting over this wood was kind of hard for me to do. I wanted to lay that planked sign directly on the floor, a million different times, and have my hardwoods installed. That finish is beautimous.

Also, just a helpful hint, I was careful around the cracks in between each plank. I kind of painted away from crack, and never over. I really wanted to emphasize the look of separate planks, since that was the entire point, after all.

I then waited until I was finished with the entire sign, and pulled up each piece of tape. Do not wait until it is entirely dry. In fact, semi wet is always better for removing that tape. It will save lots of gnashing of teeth.

It took a while, and a bit of patience to giterdone. {yes, I did just write that.} But as previously established, I’m a big dork, and really enjoyed this part the best. It was all kinds of rewarding.

The edges were not perfection when the tape was removed. I was a bit stressed about it, because the idea of paint over stain seems like an unforgiving medium. But (and I had a “duh” moment, from the furniture dork over here) because the underneath was an oil base, and the top was latex, I went back with my fingernail, and gently scraped away those messy edges. DUH. if that was furniture, and you did the same thing, it wouldn’t stick. That, ladies and gents, is why we use primer. If you’re wondering about the rest of the paint, it’s fine, especially for the wall. Unless it’s severely scraped, it should be fine just where it is.

TADA! I love this look. And I’m kind of itching to make something else with it!

The graphic appeal, pop of texture with color, and simple, personalized touch, is a fun way to add some real art to those walls!

Okay guys. As always, I really want to see if you use this to make something of your own.

I have really loved seeing all the projects y’all have sent in…whether its a great way you’ve used our freebie prints, or an inspiration from something….I’m thinking of having a linkay partay, where we can all see some of the projects you guys have tackled. I love it when we share. Yes, I just wrote that, too. Thoughts?

If you have any questions, as usual, feel free to shoot them below, and I’ll do my best to answer!

Comments

I love this! I really want to do this project, but one small problem, we’re a family of six! Would you mind helping me come up with something clever for six? How is super six? That’s the best I can come up with so far…hmmm.

Nope! The steps included here are what we did. If you add primer, it will be harder to scrape away the paint…and there will be booboos. Don’t prime it! And a top coat isn’t necessary, unless you just want to, over your final product. We’ve had no trouble with ours, whatsoever. If you plan on using it as a table top, you may want to consider using a top coat. other than that, you’re good. ;}

This is so great! I am working on one for my baby’s room and hope that I can be as successful! I have been messing around with paint colors on a practice piece and the colors over the stain are turning out different than my swatches… I’m wondering if you did more than 1 paint coat, or at least a heavier coat on yours? I don’t want to loose the rustic feel… Thanks for your help!

I have admired this for over a year and have some ideas in my head for a couple signs for our home…and our backyard. I also want to make one for my cousin and his fiancee…I think it would make a great personalized wedding gift for their new home!

I want to do one of these for my bedroom..do you think I could use stencils? I want to put some of the lyrics to our favorite song on it..that would take forever taping it off. I LOVE your ideas..you are amazing and inspiring!

I love the look of that sign and was hoping to do something similar with our “important family dates”, e.g., birthdays, etc. I just wanted to ask though: you didn’t polyurethane over the stained wood, right? Nor did you put any sort of top layer on once you’d painted? Doesn’t the stain kind of wipe off to some extent for a while then? That doesn’t mess with the painting part of this? Thanks!

This is such an awesome idea! How heavy was the finished product? I would love to do one similar to this, but about half the size (24″x34″).. I plan to use 1-inch thick spruce-pine furring boards, and was curious what kind of weight you ended up with? Thanks!!

Hey Zach – The weight isn’t bad at all. I have no idea the exact poundage, but it’s doable. It’s big, of course, but it sits nicely on our wall, and I lifted it up to our mantel the other day over my head all on my own. And I’m (Ashley) kind of a weakling. ;} I hope that helps